Electrical connectors may be used to transfer data and/or electrical power between different systems or devices. Electrical connectors are often designed to operate in challenging environments where contaminants, shock and/or vibration can disrupt the electrical connection. For example, automobiles and other machinery utilize electrical connectors to communicate data and/or electrical power therein. At least some known electrical connectors include a connector housing that has a cavity configured to receive another electrical connector (hereinafter referred to as a “mating connector”). The cavity opens to a front end of the connector housing and extends a depth into the connector housing. The electrical connector includes an array of electrical contacts, and the mating connector includes a complementary array of electrical contacts (hereinafter referred to as “mating contacts”). As the mating connector is received within the cavity, the electrical contacts are received within corresponding socket openings of the mating connector. Each socket opening may include one of the mating contacts that engages the corresponding electrical contact to establish an electrical connection.
Many times harnesses must be assembled and/or preassembled, where one part of the connector is not mated with the corresponding connector until sometime further in the overall assembly process. Thus, this requires a great deal of care for socket connectors of the type having a header and a plurality of upstanding tabs and/or pins.
Although the connector housing partially surrounds the electrical contacts within the receiving cavity, the electrical contacts may be exposed to the ambient environment through the open front end. During shipping or handling of the electrical connectors, contaminants may enter the receiving cavity through the front end. In addition, the front end may permit objects to enter the receiving cavity and engage the electrical contacts thereby moving and/or bending the electrical contacts. If an electrical contact is not positioned properly within the receiving cavity, the electrical contact may improperly engage the mating connector, an incident referred to as stubbing, which can damage the electrical contact. In some cases, the damage may require the electrical contact or, potentially, the entire electrical connector to be replaced.
In some connection systems, the headers are provided with freestanding pins without any type of support surrounding the pins. In other connection systems, alignment plates may be provided but are difficult to use with sealed connectors, as the clearance required for the movement of the alignment plates prevents proper sealing of the connector.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electrical connector assembly having a mechanism for maintaining proper alignment of the pins while allowing for the connector assembly to be sealed.